Pattern control for shuttle changing mechanism



June 13, 1939.

R. G. TURNER PATTERN CONTROL FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANTSM Filed Sept. ll, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Richard Greenlea? Turner Attorhey June 13,1939. R. G. TURNER 2,162,289

.PATTERN CONTROL FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 11, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll n H 1 Inve tor Richard Greenleaf Turner Attorney June 13,- 1939. G, TURNER 2,162,289

PATTERN CONTROL FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 11, 1936 '6 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor filcheud Gveeniea? Turner KA a Attorney Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PATTERN CONTROL FOR SHUTTLE CHANG- ING MECHANISM Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a loom operating with a number of weaving shuttles certain of which may be changed automatically when exhausted and others of which may act to stop the loom for hand replenishment.

In the weaving of certain patterns one or two colors predominate while others are used only occasionally for decorative effects. For efiicient weaving the frequently used wefts should be renewed automatically, but those yarns which are used for decoration only can advantageously be replenished by hand.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 9,645 I have set forth a loom for accomplishing this general result, a single weft detector being employed in connection with a-control exercised by the pattern to efiect automatic changing of two shuttles and loom stoppage with respect to two other shuttles. My present invention relates more particularly to the control for the selector mechanism of the shuttle changer and it is accordingly a further object of my invention to provide improved means for moving the selector to one of two positions in either of which the selector is operative to control the shuttle changing magazine, while the third position moves the selector out of operative position to prevent shuttle changing operation when exhaustion occurs in one of the infrequently used shuttles.

When loo-ms of the type to which my invention relates are operated at high speed it is desirable that the selector be given its complete setting with respect to the shuttle changing mechanism as early as possible in the cycle of loom operation, and it is another object of my invention to provide means wherein the selector can be placed very shortly after the shuttle boxes start their shifting motion. In this way the magazine for the shuttle changer can begin its operations without waiting for the complete shifting movement of the drop boxes.

For positive and eiiicient operation at high 5 speed it is desirable to use the so-called Knowles head for shifting the harnesses and drop boxes and it is another object of my invention to adapt the Knowles head to a loom of the type specified so that the movement of the selector may be completed during approximately the first third of the shuttle box shift caused by the Knowles head mechanism.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto, 5

Fig. 2 is an end elevation taken in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, the shuttle box being shown in section,

Fig. 3 is a detailed end elevation taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1, +10

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation on an enlarged scale of the Knowles head and connection therefor shown at the upper left part of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation between the two cams operated by the; head motion, together with the fingers controlled thereby,

Figs. 6 and '7 are diagrammatic views on a reduced scale showing the structure of Fig. 4 in different positions,

Fig. 8 is an end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 8, Fig. 4,

Fig. 9 is a plan on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of arrow 9, Fig. 3, and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on line Ill-II], 25 Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a loom frame I5 having a lay 16 provided with a gang ll of shifting shuttle boxes having cells l8, I9,

20 and 2|, the latter being the lowest cell. The .30 boxes are supported by a box lifter rod 22 which is given various vertical settings by means of a flexible connector 23 the upper part of which extends around a fixed sheave 24 and a movable sheave 25 and is fastened to a lever 26 mounted on the loom frame. The movable sheave 25 15 mounted on the lower end of a lever 21 pivoted as at 2B and movable about the latter as a fixed axis.

The Knowles head K has upper and lower constantly running mutilated cylinder gears 36 and 3|, respectively, which are driven in opposite directions by well-known connections not shown. For the purposes of the present invention I illustrate in detail two vibrator levers 32 and 33, respectively, pivoting about a heel pin 34 and carrying vibrator gears 35 and 36, respectively. Gear 35 is provided with a connector 31 pivotally connected as at 38 to the upper end of lever 26, whereas gear 36 has a longer connector 39 pivotally connected as at 40 to lever 21.

A pattern chain 4| having high and low rolls 42 and 43, respectively, positions the vibrator levers 32 and 33 according to the requirements of the pattern being woven. The cylinders 30 'larly about an axis .changing operation and 3| operate the vibrator gears to transmit an operating force to the levers 26 and 21, each of the latter being capable of taking two positions so that there are four possible combinations of positions for said levers 26 and 21.

As shown in Fig. 4 the levers 26 and 21 are in their left hand position and. the chain 23 is therefore in its lowest position corresponding to the location of upper cell l8 in picking or active position with respect to the lay. When cell .19 is to be active, lever 26 will be to the dotted line position of 25 remaining stationary. When cell 20 is to be active lever 26 remains to the left, and lever 21 will be rocked in a right hand direction to the position of Fig. 7. Should it be desired to place cell 2| for picking both levers will be rocked to the right, as shown in Fig. 7.

It will be seen therefore that the placing of upper cells l8 and I9 for picking involves only the shifting of lever'26 from one to'the other of its positions while lever 21 remains at rest in the position of Fig. 4. Further, it will be seen that 'when either of the lower cells 26 or 2| is to be active lever 21 will be to the right, as shown in Fig. 7, whatever the position of lever 26. facts as to the relation between levers 26 and 21 relatively to the upper andlower pairs of cells shown in 'Fig. 2 is set forth hereinafter to control the selector for the shuttle changer to be described hereinafter.

The shuttle changer mechanism C shown in Fig. 1 includes a magazine M to provide two dif- -mit the slide 55 to assume three diiferent positions shown in full, dotted and dot-and-dash positions in Fig. 9.

I 'h e slide carries apin 58 on which are piv- -otally mounted two'selectorelements 59 and 69, respectively, each capable of being set bya trip 6| to be elevated by asolenoid 62 controlled by an electric 'feeler mechanism not shown. The

of directing the dog into lifting relationship with for the purpose of lifting the ,rod 52. An actuatorlever 68 is oscillated regu- 48 by cam 69 on alternate loom beats to elevate the dog member63.

The.lower end of control lever 53 is attached theselectorelements.59 or.60,but when theslide '55 assumesthe doteand-dash positionshown in Fig. 9 the elements 59 and 60 will move out of registering position with respect to the dog 63 so that under this last named condition a shuttle cannot occur.

Lever '53 also controls the position of maga- -head at the left hand end of levers 26 and 21, respectively.

a lever 98 bolted at 9| zine actuating hooks 64 and 66 with respect to a pin 61 on lever 51, hook 66 being in the path of the pin when cell I8 is active and hook 64 being operative with respect to the pin when cell I 9 is active. For further details reference may be had to my copending application Serial No. 9,645 filed March ,6, 1935.

The matter thus far described may be as heretofore proposed, the shifting boxes for Knowles the loom as shown in Fig. 1 being of the common construction, While the shuttle changer mechanism illustrated at the right hand side of Fig. 1 may be the same as that set forth in copending applications Serial Nos. 460,746, 667,464; 747,358 and 560,573. It is suffi- 'cient .for the purpose of the present description to state that a loom operating with the four shuttles S, S S and S as shown in Fig. 2 can becontrolled so that any one of these shuttles can become active and remain active as long as desired, but that under the present assumption the upper cells l8 and I9 will be quite active, whereas the lower cells 20 and 2| will be relatively inactive, and it may further be stated that the two types of reserve shuttles supplied by the changer C correspond to the weft carried in the shuttles S and S corresponding to the upper pair of cells at the drop box end of the loom. It

to place the slide 55 in the dot and dash position of Fig. 9 a shuttle changing operation will be impossible due to non-registry between the dog 63 and the elements 59 and 60.

Coming moreparticularly to my present invention I provide means for giving the connector 65 e three positions already referred to. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, this connector is attached to a vertical rod 10 connected to a lever 1| movable about a fixed axis 12 carried by the loom frame. This lever is provided with two adjustable lifting screws 13 and 14, respectively, corresponding to A pin 15 carried by lever 1! has pivoted thereon two levers 16 and 11 for the screws 13 and 14, respectively. Each of corresponding screw may be lifted to position the Each lever is also provided with a swivel pin 19 by means of which lever 16 is connected to a cam finger 80, while lever 11 is connected to a similar cam finger 8 I. The fingers 80 and 8| are spaced as shown in Fig. 8 to cooperate with cams 82 and 83, respectively.

to lever 21 and is also movable about the fixed axis 28. When lever 21 is rocked to the left as viewed inFig. 4 the cam 83 will be raised, but when said lever 21 is rocked to the right cam 83 will be down, as shown in Fig. 7.

Tension springs 84 between lever 1| and small levers 16 and 11 hold the fingers 80 and 8| against their cams.

Thecams 82 and 83 are especially formed as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 8. Cam 82 has two parallel runs I00 and HH, run I00 having a low dwell I02 at the upper part thereof, an incline I03,

and a moderately high dwell I04 at the same level as a short moderately high dwell I05 on run IOI. Abovedw'ell I05 is a decline I06 terminating at a relatively long low dwell I01 which is at the level of dwell I02. Switches I08 yieldingly positioned by a spring I09 and pivoted at IIO permit a shoe I I I of finger 80 to move along the various parts of the runs I00 and l0I in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8. With cam 82 in the position shown in Fig. 8 the shoe III is in the short low dwell I02 and soon after lever 26 starts to move to effect a shifting of the boxes I8 and I9, said shoe will ride up the incline I03, thereby rocking lever 16 to cause an elevation of screw 13 and lever 1| early in the shifting of the boxes, preferably no later than the first one-third of the interval of time requiredfor the box shift. As the shift nears completion the shoe will be cammed by surface II2 to the left, swinging the lower switch I08 so that the shoe I I I passes into the run [M where it will remain until there is to be another shift of boxes I8 or I9 effected by levers 26. When this second shift occurs the cam 82 will move down from the raised dotted line position of Fig. 6, causing motion of the shoe III along the short moderately high dwell I05, down the decline I06 and on to the low dwell I01, effecting a lowering of the lever 1I early in the box shift. As lever 26 nears the end of this second shift the upper switch I08 will yield as the shoe moves along cam surface H3.

The difference in elevation between the dwells I02 and I01 at the upper end of cam 82 and dwells I00 and I05 at the lower end effects a small shift of lever 1I corresponding to a movement of boxes I8 or I9 toward or from active position. During such a shift of cam 82 by lever 26 it will be possible to effect automatic shuttle changing operations of the loom relatively to either shuttle S or S by controls already described.

The other cam 83 is similar runs I20 and I2I, respectively, along which a shoe I22 of finger 8I slides. The switches and spring control for cam 83 are similar to those of cam 82. Run I20 has a short low dwell I25, an incline I26, and a relatively high long dwell I21, while run I2I has an upper short high dwell I28, a decline I29, and a long low dwell I30. Dwells I25 and I30 are at the same level, and dwells I21 and I28 are at the same level. The shoe I22 moves in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the runs I20 and I2I as the cam 83 reciprocates, the switches yielding as already described in connection with cam 82. As with the latter, the incline I26 and decline I29 come into action shortly after the cam 83 starts to shift.

In cam 83 the difference in level between the high and low dwells is considerably more-than is the case withcam 82, therefore the lever 11 will be given a relatively greater angular motion about 15 when cam 83 moves, and this greater motion gives lever 11 a large shift. Due to this larger motion of lever 1|, the control lever 53 has a maximum throw, moving slide 55 so that a shuttle changing operation will be impossible.

It is believed that the operation of the invention will be understood from the foregoing description. When boxes I8 or I9 are active cam 83 will be at rest and in the raised position shown in Fig. 4, while the cam 82 will be rocked either to its high or low position, depending upon the location of lever 26. The oscillation of cam 82 will give lever 11 a relatively small shift so that slide 55 will be either in the full or the dotted line position shown to cam 82 and has in Fig. 9, permitting shuttle changing operations. Whenever boxes 20 or 2| are active, however, lever 21 will be in the position shown in Fig. '1 causing cam 83 to be down to place a high dwell I21 or I28 under shoe I22 to give lever H a relatively large motion which will move slide 55 to the dot and dash position shown in Fig. 9, rendering a shuttle changing operation impossible.

The trip 6I has a narrow foot 95 which registers with element 59 or 60 whenever cell I8 or I9 is active, but when either cell 20 or 2I is active the elements move to a position out of alignment with the foot as in the dotted, and dot-and-dash positions of Fig. 8. Under these conditions the foot can rock with the trip without causing the latter to set either element.

Fromthe foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means whereby a shuttle changing mechanism may be either operative or inoperative depending upon which of the shuttleboxes I8, I9, 20 or 2| is active. It will be seen that this control is effected by means of two cams movable by the vibrator gears of the well-known Knowles head, each cam having high and low dwells for each of two runs so that the shoes corresponding thereto can be given an operative motion early in the shift of the shuttle boxes whether the latter be rising or falling. In actual practice the third position of the selector, that is, the position in which the latter cannot operate the magazine, is used in association with mechanism to stop the loom, but this latter feature does not form part of the present invention.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinctive types of reserve weft, a selector for the weft replenishing mechanism to determine which type ofreserve weft is to be selected, means to shift the shuttle boxes so that either box is rendered active, a cam operated by said means and having two tracks, each track having high and low areas, cam follower means in engagement with the cam and connected to the selector to move the latter, mechanism to transfer the cam follower means from one track to the other when the direction of motion of the cam is reversed, the length of the areas of the two tracks being unequal when measured from any given point of reversal.

2. Ina weft replenishing loom, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinctive types of reserve weft, a selector for the weft replenishing mechanism to determine which type of reserve weft is to be selected, means to shift the shuttle boxes so that either box is rendered active, a cam movable in timed relation with the box shifting means and having two tracks, a lever connected to the selector to be successively operated by the tracks, and means to shift the lever from one track to the other track when the direction of motion of the cam is reversed, each track having high and low areas, the high and low areas of either track being of unequal length.

3. In a weft replenishing loom, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes having two cells either of which is movable to active position, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinct types of reserve weft, a selector" to determine which type ofreserve Weft is to be supplied by the replenishing mechanism, means to shift ,the shuttle boxes, a pair of cam tracks each of which has an incline, a lever tobe shifted by the incline of either track. and connected to the selector, and means to cause the lever to shift from one track to the other track when the first named means shifts the shuttle boxes, the inclines of the tracks being at different distances from the point at which said lever is shifted with respect to the tracks.

4. In a weft replenishing loom, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes having two cells either of which is movable to active position, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinct types of reserve weft, a selector to determine which type of reserveweft is to be supplied by the replenishing. mechanism, means to shift the shuttle boxes, a pair of cam surfaces each having an incline. movable by the means which shifts the shuttle boxes, a lever to be rocked by the incline of each cam surface and connected to the selector, means to shift the lever from one cam surface to the'other cam surface when the boxes are shifting, and means to prevent the lever fromreturning to said one cam surface from the other cam surface after the shift, the inclines being at different distances from the point at which the lever shifts from one cam surface to the other. 1

5. In a weft replenishing loom,-a pair of shifting shuttle boxes having two cells either of which is movable to active position, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinct types of reserve weft, a selector to determine which type of reserve weft is to be supplied by the replenishing mechanism, means to shift the shuttle boxes, a pair of similar cam surfaces movable together and operated by said means when the boxes are shifting, a lever to be operated by the cam surfaces, means to cause the lever to shift from one cam surface to the other cam surface when there is to be a shift of-the boxes, and means to cause the lever to move from one cam surface to the other cam always in the same direction.

6. In a weft replenishing loom, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes having two cells either of which is movable to active position, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinct types of reserve weft, a selector to determine which type of reserve weft is to be supplied by the replenishing mechanism, means to shift the shuttle boxes, two cams rigid with respect to each other and movable together by the means which shift the shuttle boxes, an incline for each cam, the inclineof one cam being nearer one end of said cam than the other end and the incline of the other cam being farther from said oneend than the first incline, a lever connected to the selector to be operated successively by the inclines, and means to cause said lever to be operated first by one incline and then by the other incline as said cams are reciprocated.

'7. Ina weft replenishing loom, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes having two cells either of which is movable to active position, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinct types of reserve weft, a selector to determine which type of reserve weft is to be supplied by the replenishing mechanism, means to shift the shuttle boxes, a cam having an end and twoconnecting tracks, each track having an incline, means to move the cam in timed relation with the shuttle boxes, a lever connected to the selector to engage the tracks, and means to cause the lever to engage the tracks successively as the cam reciprocates, the inclines being at unequal distances from said end of the cam.

8. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, shuttle changing mechanism, a member to be moved to assist in an operation of the shuttle changing mechanism, an actuator for the member normally idle with respect to the latter, two controllers for the actuator each capable of connecting the actuator with the member, support means for the controllers movable to give the latter three different positions one position of which is out of register with said actuator, a set of shifting shuttle boxes having three or more cells, two vibrators andvibrator gears for the boxes, a cam for and movable by each vibrator gear, connections between the vibrator gears and the shuttle boxes to move the latter when the gears move connecting means between one of the cams and the controllers effective when either of two shuttle boxes is active to place the controllers for operation with the actuator, and connections between the other cam and the controllers effective when other than said two shuttle boxes are active to move the said third position out of registry with respect to the actuator.

I 9. .In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, shuttle changing mechanism, a member to be moved to assist in an operation of the mechanism, an actuator for the member normally idle with respect to the latter, two controllers for the actuator each capable actuator with the member, support means for the controllers movable to give said controllers three different positions one position of which is out of registry with said actuator, a set of shifting shuttle boxes having three or more cells, two vibrators and vibrator gears to move the boxes,

other than said two active, moving means for the controllers, connections between the first cam and latter to move than said two cells is active.

10. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom, shuttle changing shuttle changing 5 of connecting the to move same, moving means for the controllers, said cams to be reciprocated by their respective vibrator gears, connections between the first cam and the controllers to give the latter either of two positions in register with the actuator by movement of said first cam in either direction,

and connections between the other cam and the controller to give the latter said third position out of register with the actuator by a movement of the second cam in either direction.

11. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom,

shuttle changing mechanism, a member to be moved to assist in an operation of the shuttle changing mechanism, an actuator for the member normally idle with respect to the latter, two controllers for the actuator each capable of connecting the actuator with the member, support means for the controllers movable to give said controllers three different positions one position of which is out of register with said actuator, a set of shifting shuttle boxes having three or more cells, two vibrators and vibrator gears, a cam reciprocable having two tracks each with a relatively low incline connected to one of the vibrators, a second reciprocable cam having two tracks each with a relatively high incline connected to the other vibrator gear, moving means for the controller, connecting means to cause each vibrator gear to reciprocate the corresponding cam, connections between the first cam and the controllers to give the latter either of two positions in register with the actuator by movement of said first cam in either direction, and connections between the other cam and the controller to give the latter said third position out of register with the actuator by a movement of the second cam in either direction, the inclines of the cams being placed to effect movement of the connections to the controllers when said cams have moved approximately one-third of their whole motion from one position to the other.

12. In a multi-color loom, weft replenishing mechanism to supply two distinctive types of reserve weft, shifting shuttle boxes having more than two cells any one of which may become active, a selector for the replenishing mechanism to have two operative positions with respect to said replenishing mechanism, a pair of levers each movable to two positions, means connecting the levers to the shuttle boxes to impart motion to the latter derived from the levers, a pair of cams connected to and movable together by one of said levers, connecting means to connect the selector with either cam one at a time, and control mechanism for the connecting means to cause one only of the pair of cams to move the connecting means when the cams move in one direction, and said control mechanism to cause the'other cam only of the pair of cams to move the connecting means when the cams move in the opposite direction.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

